THE WARKWORTH TRAGEDY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1833, 21 August 1913, Page 9

THE WARKWORTH TRAGEDY.

MRS. HALL BEFORE THE COURT. • , ' (By Telegraph—Frees Association.) Auckland, August 20. Matters in connection with the recent tragedy at Warkworth were, investigated at the Suprome Court to-day, when Mary Winchester Hall, married woman, aged 31 years, was charged with the murder of her daughter Isobel May Hall, aged 10 "years, on June 27. Tho case was heard before Mr. Justice Cooper. The Crown' Prosecutor described the case as a particularly sad one. Accused, he said, was living happily with her husband. On tho day of the tragedy she suggested that the three little-chil&en, two boys and a girl, should havo a holiday. The mother took them into a barn, and there suggested the playing of several games. There were three .swings tied to a beam in this barrr. The mooter stood two of her children on tho box and tho third on another box, with ropes tied round their necks. She then knocked away tho boxes, and the children were left hanging. Tho girl Isobel had her. neck dislocated, and the two little boys, with their mother's assistance,, wero rescued from their perilous positions. Evidenco corroborative of this was given by several witnesses, including accused's son. . • For the defence evidence was given by accused's husband and mother to show that she had been suffering from depression. Two doctors deposed that from subsequent examinations they had no hesitation in declaring accused to have been insane when the deed was t committed. His Honour, summing np, said the facts of tho sad case were not disputed. What tho jury had to consider was whether it had been proved by tho defence that accused at the time of tho crime was insane. At this point accused, who had been following the proceedings attentively, had an outburst of hysterics, and it was some time beforo she could be quietened. His Honour concluded by* saying tho jury would bo quite jujstifwul in bringing in a verdict of not guilty on the ground of insanity. This the jury did without leaving the bos. Accused w-as then committed to tho Auckland Mental Hospital pending instructions from the Minister for Internal Affairs. Tho Crown Prosecutor said he would ask leave from the Attorney-General to withdraw tho further chargo of attemped murder.